My baby with an injured leg....update with pics

[bayyjayy]

A couple of these pictures are a double post, but three of them are new. This baby doesn't seem to be in pain and there is no swelling. I have since put him on Save A Chick and seperated him with a couple of other ducklings for company. What do you think??

Thanks....sorry for being a pain about this, but....you know.

 

[jdywntr]

I don't know but I would say injury or deformity. Maybe a splint? Does it use the leg at all?

 

[bayyjayy]

I just put him in the sink to see if he can swim (sounds like a familiar song, huh?), and he doesn't move it at all in the water. Is this bad?

 

[jdywntr]

I would think so. I saw your other post. I don't know if ducks have a "failure to thrive" sickness. I'm not familiar with Boondockers but can you call them for advice? I got my runners from Metzer and talked with them several times with questions/problems. Keep him seperate and see if it improves.

Does it eat on its own? Sticky butt? Umm.... what does poop look like?

 

[bayyjayy]

Poop looks normal. He goes to his food on his own....I am actually taking him out every so often to make sure he is actually eating some, but he does go over himself and eats. Do you think I should seperate him completely from the others? I thought he would do better with a buddy with him, so I was going to rotate the other buddies so that he isnt' ever by himself.

I have no idea what I am suppose to do with him. Can he live normally with only one leg and foot?

 

[In2Caps]

I had a duckling that broke her leg when she was about 3-4 weeks old--and that was exactly what it looked like. (Although I know your duckling is younger than that.) She wouldn't put any weight on it and her foot was curled up like that. (I didn't know what had happened, but I took her to the vet--I only have a few ducks--and had it xrayed.)

He splinted it (multiple times, since ducks grow so quickly--surgery wasn't an option on those tiny legs). She healed pretty well. Stayed a little gimpy and had a weird kind of skippy "run." The other ducks seemed to know she was a little delicate (it seemed to affect her growth--she stayed very small for a runner) and she was never picked on. (She died fairly young--but not from anything related to her "disability.")

K

 

[jdywntr]

Quote:
Seperating will depend on if he is beat up or picked on. If he seems like he is okay with another, I'd keep an eye on them. I have seen other posts by people who have special needs ducks. I think it depends on what you think its quality of life is. If it seems in pain (because it won't show it) you may be better culling it. Hopefully someone with more experience than I will answer.

 

[duckyfromoz]

With black legs it is hard to see the hock joint- but that is one possible area where the problem is coming from- also the hip. It could be a slipped tendon- it doesnt look dislocated at the hock anyway. Is the leg kind of " fused" unable to move?? If so- Vitamins alone wont fix it- the tendon would need to be pushed back into place. Splinting or even stitching may be necessary to keep it in place if it is the tendon that has slipped.

 

[bayyjayy]

Not sure what made his leg get a titch better, but he is now holding it in the right position though he is still limping. He still isn't growing though!!!

I am so happy....I almost took him to a vet and had him put to sleep.......SO HAPPY!

 

[becky3086]

You might try giving him soft surfaces to walk on (something that gives, like hay or grass). Ducks don't do well on hard surfaces.